Studio: FORME Studios

Class: BarreFusion SCULPT

Instructor: Lauren

Today’s adventure took me over to FORME Studios. Located in Buckhead, the studio is nestled away on the second level of a shopping plaza on Peachtree Hills. Parking is abundant, and the studio is easy to find. I was looking for something quick and challenging to wrap up my Thursday, so I picked BarreFusion SCULPT.

The studio itself is very—one room with ballet barres, mirrors, some motivating fitness posters and a few shelves to store your belongings. I was surprised at how minimal it was. Lauren greeted me right away, and instructed me to strap on some ankle weights.

Now, if you’ve never worked out in ankle weights before, be forewarned, it feels a little awkward at first. You basically velcro yourself into two mini ankle warmers filled with sand. I felt like I was shuffling around the room. Other equipment including a glider, stretchy band and two very light weights (2lbs). The little weights were somewhat difficult to hold, as they are like mini sandbags with hand straps.

The class itself starts with a few cardio segments. Each segment is timed to a song. The class is more heavy on the cardio than the weight portion. There is a lot of plie-squatting, micro-bends, squeezing and more squeezing. Not being the most coordinated individual, I found some moves awkward to do. Even more so with the ankle weights. However, Lauren was great at showing modifications for all the moves. I liked that she showed how to do each move, and then the modifications. Also, you can always drop the weights.

Overall, the class was challenging and a good workout. It’s a bit stealthy in its difficulty (those ankle weights definitely add to that factor). It has an 80s exercise vibe to it, which is definitely exciting if you’re into that. It’s also more classic barre—they use ballet terminology and moves, meshed with the cardio. The core portion of the class was really effective, and I’m feeling it today!

 

The quick and dirty review:

Studio: Clean, simple and to the point.

Instructor: Great instructor! Lauren did a good job of demonstrating each move, motivating the class and pushing us. Very friendly and welcoming.

Class: Different and somewhat challenging. Although the moves were weird to me at first, it’s definitely an efficient workout… it’s just another kind of exercise to get used it! The class will get you sore the next day, so it does work—I recommend!